Angels tabbed as perfect Teruaki Sato fit but former MLB GM floats daunting price tag

It's no secret that, among Los Angeles Angels fans, Teruaki Sato has become the apple of our eye approaching the offseason. The NPB's reigning MVP and triple-crown winner -- he led the league with 39 homers, 106 RBIs, and a .306 batting average -- is exactly what the Halos need: He's a right-handed slugger who can play third base and, perhaps most importantly, would reestablish the franchise as a serious player in the international space.

Thus, it's no surprise that former MLB general manager Jim Bowden called the Angels a "perfect fit" for Sato in his latest column for The Athletic. Bowden certainly has had his fair share of misfires in the past, but this one passes the smell test with flying colors.

The problem? The longtime front office executive listed Sato as his top position-player free agent, suggesting that he'll command a massive deal on the open market. His final projection of five years and $180 million is steep (and that's before any posting fees), but that's the price of doing business for marquee free agents these days.

The good news? The Angels are better positioned than ever to make that kind of expenditure.

Angels have the financial wiggle room to go all-in on Teruaki Sato in free agency

Obviously, the contents of this discussion can (and will) change as the Angels' new ownership group gets settled and the upcoming lockout gets closer. But, in response to both those points, we know that Stan Kroenke and company want to make a big splash right away, and ESPN's Jeff Passan has gone on record suggesting that Sato (and other international free agents) will sign before the current collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1.

But even beyond those factors, it's worth keeping in mind just how clean the Angels' books are starting to look. The only player under a guaranteed contract right now beyond 2027 is Mike Trout, who is owed about $37.1 million every year until 2030. Besides that, Yusei Kikuchi's $21 million salary comes off the books after next year, while everyone else is either arbitration eligible or pre-arbitration.

The biggest change in the payroll, however, comes in the form of dead money that will finally be out of sight. Anthony Rendon's historically bad contract has mercifully come to an end, and Jorge Soler's $16 million salary has also been paid out in full. Between them and others, the Angels are going to shed more than $59 million in AAV for players with guaranteed contracts no longer on the 40-man roster.

Put another way, the Halos' luxury tax payroll was just a shade under $200 million this year; the current projection for next year (which includes arbitration estimates but not pre-arb salaries and contract incentives/bonuses) is just $114.1 million. That's a gap of more than $80 million for the next front office regime to spend, and that's assuming the Kroenke group doesn't green-light more spending past that point.

In other words, a pursuit of Sato and other stars is well within the Angels' reach. It's just a matter of how badly they want them.

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